OM-D secrets Archive - Michael Guthmann

24. November 20224. December 2022

How to update firmware on E-M1 Mark III / OM-1

Once in a while cameras are getting new functions or error are resolved. In both cases a new firmware is provided. Cameras of OM Digitalsolutions is this done either with OM Workspace or mobile with OM.Share. I would like to demonstrate you how to make it with OM.Share. For the moment you can only update the E-M1 Mark III or OM-1 firmware. All other cameras has to be updated with OM Workspace.

Update OM-D E-M1 Mark III / OM-1 firmware with OM.Share

OI.share screenshot to show how to update OM-1 / E-M1 Mark III firmware

Precondition to update the firmware with OM.Share is that you already paired your camera with OM.Share and you must activate WiFi in your E-M1 Mark III or OM-1. Have you done this you can press the gear icon to reach the settings.

In the settings you find camera management.

OI.share screenshot to show how to update OM-1 / E-M1 Mark III firmware v

Clicking on it the camera management opens. Here you find information about your camera. You can save your camera settings and you can update the firmware.

When you click on it OM.Share shows you the firmware version installed on your camera and the mounted lens. Pressing “check update” the software verify the latest firmware on the server in Japan.

Is a new firmware available it will be shown. Underneath you find a button to update the firmware for the camera or lens.

Follow the instruction on the screen to update your camera.

Following is important.

Be aware that your batterie is charged to at least 50%. A fully charged batterie however is much better.
Take care that you never loose power while updating the firmware. This is very important. In case you are loosing power it could happen that the camera has no firmware at all. You will not be able to start the camera anymore then.
Keep an eye on all hints of OM.Share. While updating the firmware OM.Share saves your settings. In case you are not following the instruction of OM.Share it will not be able to install those settings back to the camera.

In case you would like to update the firmware of lenses, make it in the same way.

Update firmware with OM Workspace

Updating the firmware with OM.Share is super. You can update your camera on the way without computer. Unfortunately this is only available for E-M1 Mark III and OM-1. At home you are also able to update your firmware with OM Workspace. First connect your camera with the delivered USB cable. As soon as you switch on the camera a dialog is displayed. You can select how the camera communicates with the computer. Select storage to update the firmware and confirm with “OK”.

In OM Workspace you find in the “camera” menu “update” which you have to use to update the camera. Have you pressed it the camera updater starts. Now the process is similar to OM.Share.

The camera updater shows whether a new firmware version is available or not. To Update camera / lens just press update. Please follow the instruction on the screen exactly. Press only “next” when you see the big “OK” on the camera screen and if you have switch off / on the camera.

In case you are using an E-M1 Mark III or an OM-1 OM Workspace saves your camera settings and reload them after the update process. Older cameras don’t have this option.

Tips for Apple user

In case you are using an Apple computer to update the firmware it could be that your are getting several error messages. The reason for those messages are following.

You are using a USB cable which is transferier the data not correctly. Please use the cable which is delivered with the camera, if possible.
You camera is connected with a USB hup. Please connect the camera directly on the computer.
The security settings of the operating system give OM Workspace not enough right. In case you thing OM Workspace has all rights needed and it is not working, please double check the system settings. Sometime also the firewall could be the reason why OM Workspace is not able to communicate with the firmware server.

14. June 20224. December 2022

Live Composite in OM Workspace

Live Composite in Olympus / OM System cameras is a quite popular function as it enables the photographer to shoot long time exposure images without over exposing the final result. However this function do have some short comings. As this function adds lighter parts of each image to the current composite. Therefore it could happen that your image gets destroyed by an unpredictable bright occasion. In this short tutorial I would like to show you how you can make a Live Composite image in OM Workspace out of single images back home at your computer. In OM Workspace you do have even more options as when you make it directly in camera.

What you should consider while taking images for Live Composite

In case you would like to make a Live Composite with OM Workspace your workflow is different. Instead of using the Live Composite Mode in the camera you should use the time-lapse functionality in camera. All other settings are identical. Please select exposure time and aperture fitting to your needed total image brightness. The time-laps interval should fit to the exposure time. Means in case you have selected a exposure time of i.e. 5s the time-lapse interval should be long enough that the next image is taken afterwards. Beside this I recommend to take RAW images, this makes the post processing easier.

How to make a Live Composite with OM Workspace

Once you have taken the images and you are back home open Workspace. Select the location where the images you would like to use are stored. Once you have open the folder with the images do following.

Selected images to be used for Live Composite in OM Workspace

1. Select all images you would like to use for the Composite.

2. Select in “Tools” “Composite Images” “Lighten Composite”. A new window will open

Menu to find the composite mode in OM Workspace

3. Here you can check the images and decide which image should be in the composite. In addition in case you haven’t made a separate black reference, you can select this here to improve your image quality.

4. Select “Lighten 1” in case you would like to have an even result. Fitting for star trails for example. “Lighten 2” is more suitable for fireworks.

5. By pressing “Composite” you can generate a preview, which will be shown in the list underneath your images.

6. Once you are satisfied, press “Export” to save the result in your image gallery.

Export final Composite result in OM Workspace

Live Composite result with Option "Lighten 1" — Result “Lighten 1”

Additional options in OM Workspace

As you took single image generating composite image in OM Workspace do have some additional option, which are not available in camera.

You can not only add brighter parts to your images, but also darker. This is helpful when you for example would like to remove bright clouds from your image and generate a deep blue sky.
When you tick the box “Export image at each step” you get also the images which are generates in each step. This enables you to make an animation showing how the image develops. Especially use full in case you do make movies.
In case a in the series of images one image is to bright or not fitting you simply can skip it. You are more flexible in the result.

Your feedback is appreciated

I make those kind of short description for you. Therefore I would be interested in whether you like it or not. Please leave a comment what you are interested in and what kind of content you would like to see next.

21. May 20228. October 2022

AF customisation with the OM-1

The AF performance of the OM-1 has been, compared to its predecessor, dramatically improved. Why and which techology improvements are responsible for the improvement you can find in my blog post “OM System OM-1 AI detection AF“. However you are able to even improve your auto focus performance when us the AF customisation with the OM-1

Options for AF customisation with the OM-1

Depending on the subject your are shooting, four settings improve your AF performance.

Use your own AF field settings
Adjust C-AF sensitivity
C-AF centre priority
AF home settings

The above mentioned point do have an influence in the auto focus performance. Therefore you should have a look on them. It is important to know, which settings is helpful in which situation.

Own AF field settings

Beside the default AF field settings the user is able to define his / her own presets. Beside size and form you can also define the step size. The step size influence how fast you are able to move the AF fields with in the image area. Therefore this value influences the speed how fast you can react while you are photographing. You can define your AF fields as follows.

Screenshot Om-1 to show where to define the AF Target mode settings

1 Open the menu and navigate in the green AF menu to page 5 and select ” AF Target Mode Settings”

Screenshot of OM-1 menu to show where you can set up the Market mode settings

2 Press “OK” and select C1. Use the right key to open the settings menu.

Screenshot OM-1 menu to show how to make the AF customization

3 Adjust the field size to your needs with the forefinger and thumb wheel. Changing the step size is possible by pressing the “Info” button.

screenshot of OM-1 menu to show how to activate the custom AF target modes

4 Confirm with “OK” button. Press again the “OK” button to activate your settings.

Which settings are useful for the AF customisation with the OM-1?

How are those settings helpful to increase the AF performance? Quite simple, it helps the AF algorithm to find the focus when you are using only a part of the image area for focusing. For example when you are shooting birds in flights. Most properly in this case only the upper area is relevant for the AF. When you use in this case AF field which are covering the hole width but only half of the height, then you support the AF.

A second option, is to use only a single AF point. This is helpful when you are shooting small details, like you find in macro images. In addition a single AF point is also helpful when you capture birds in tries.

AF customisation with the OM-1 on YouTube

In case you would like to follow a step by step tutorial you also find this on my Youtube channel here:

Adjust C-AF sensitivity

If you use continuous auto focus you can define how sensitive the AF algorithm. In this case sensitivity means the reaction speed of the AF in case of changes in the image. Adjust the C-AF sensitivity as follows.

Screenshot of OM-1 menu to show where to finde C-AF sensitivity

1 Open the menu and navigate in the green AF menu to page three. Select C-AF sensitivity.

Screenshot of OM-1 menu for C-AF sensitivity settings options

2 Press “OK” and adjust the sensitivity between -2 and +2. Thereby shortens a high value and increases a low value the reaction time.

When do I use which sensitivity?

You use a high value of +1 or even +2 in case you are shooting object with fast changes. For example when you photograph a squirrel. Those small animals are moving quite fast and you never know what happens in the next second. Also the auto focus must be able to adapt fast in such kind of situation.

You use a low value of -1 or even -2 in case the auto focus should not be disturbed by changes. One example would be soccer. The camera should focus on the player you have selected, even though another player is running through your image. Same is true in case you are shooting birds in flight, which are partly covered by tries.

C-AF center priority

Especially when you use bigger AF fields the C-AF center priority is a topic. It defines which AF fields are used for focusing. Is the C-AF center priority activated the center AF field is prioritized. This means the camera use only other fields, if changes happens in more than one of the other fields. In case you would like to set AF center priority do following.

1 Open the menu and navigate in the green AF menu to page 3 and select “C-AF center priority”.

Screenshot of OM-1 menu to show options for center priority

2 Confirm with “OK” and selcht select the AF preset which should use the C-AF center priority.

In which case is the C-AF center priority helpful?

The C-AF center priority helps to avoid that the algorithm uses the border fields to often. This helps you in case your are not sure that you are able to follow an object. Thus you are not able to keep it in the center of your chosen AF fields

AF home settings

In case you fast moving object speed is important. So you are able to react fast. In this case AF home settings is helpful. In case you would like to use the AF home settings do following.

Screenshot of OM-1 menu to show how to set-up Multi selector settings

1 Open the menu and navigate in the yellow gear menu to page 1. Select “Multi Selector Setting”

2 Press “OK” and select “Center Button”

3 Press “OK” again and select “HP” Confirm with “OK”.

Now the camera is coming back to the standard settings, once you press the multi selector button. In case you don’t like the standard settings you can change them as follows.

1 Open the menu and navigate in the green AF menu to page 5. Select “Set Home”

2 Press “OK” and define which AF field and which position you would like to have as home settings.

For all of you, who prefer to have a short move showing how to do the settings I also Lada a small movie on my YouTube channel.

E-M1 Mark III und E-M1X

You don’t have an OM-1 and would like to know how those settings are done for E-M1 Mark III or E-M1X? Then you find a small instruction in my blog post “Customise your AF points“

7. September 202122. June 2022

Customize your AF points

The E-M1X and the E-M1 Mark III do have already a lot of AF layout presets, which are usable in many different situations. Customize your AF points to increase your AF hitting rate. You can adjust them like follows

Customise your AF points in the menu

Screenshot OM-D menu to localize Target mode settings

1 In the gear menu select A2 “Target Mode Settings” and open the menu with the arrow right key.

Screenshot OM-D menu to show target mode settings options

2 You can program and save up to four AF field presets.

Screenshot OM-D menu to show Mode Settings location

3 To be able to select those presets you have to activate them under “Mode Settings”.

You also can watch the following film, which shows step by step how to program your AF fields.

24. June 202117. May 2022

Fast selection of images

When using a function like continuous shooting mode, ProCapture or Focus Bracketing you get very fast a lot of images. The SD card gets filled up very fast and not every image is needed. The normal way to delete single images is very time consuming and therefore not helpful. Cameras from the E-M1 series have fortunately do have a fast selection of images to easily select many images in a short time.

How fast selection of images work

1. Press the replay button to see the images on the SD card

2. Use the thumbwheel to switch from the single image view to the thumbnail view.

3. Select the first image, which you would like to select. Press and hold the movie record button.

4. Rotate either the forefinger wheel or thumbwheel to select the other images. You can select up to 200 images.

As soon as you have selected the images you can either delete or mark them as protected or share them with OI.share.